rio help (please)

[misterKeno]

Greg, if you jump on HYPE in the next 3 or 4 days please help me out.

And, of course, anyone else who knows about the Rio.

Well, greg, here we go again--i think a year ago you gave me some rio advice, but it has FELL OUT OF MY BRAIN, he he he.

Staying at rio 4/12 & 4/13.
These are wed & thurs nites.
Will be driving.
I have a rate of $49 / $49.
The clerk said "$49 for mountain limited view, $69 for full mountain view, $79 for strip view". So i just said give me the $49 (love how they UPSELL stuff to ya on the phone, sigh).

I figure i'll arrive in LV at about 1pm or 2pm. Should i ask (or attempt a tip) for a better view or upgrade. I'm traveling alone & on a budget & the view / better room would be 'nice' but not crucial. At most, i'd want to tip $10 to be honest.

The specific room # you ALWAYS ASK FOR, is that an 'upgraded' room, or just jumbo cause of that renovated wall they did to it 8 yrs ago? I think that's how the story went when u explained it 2 yrs ago, lol.

I'll have my vehicle, but may take advantage of the shuttle. Does the shuttle do a round robin from rio to ballys to harrahs to caesars back to rio? Or is there a dedicated shuttle to harrahs? Do you catch the shuttle right out in front at the main entrance? Is it crowded? Do you tip the fella a buck? I know you said "im a cab guy", but i fugred once or twice in your life you must have rode the shuttle, lol !!!!!!!

I probably wont gamble much at all during the trip... and if i do, it wont be at Rio with their minimums.

Thx greg... and any other suggestions you have... let me know. I'm thinking of carrot top. He was at mgm last year for $26, now he's at luxor for $43, sigh. If i can swing it, i'd like to see him. Rumor is they have 1/2 price tix @ the coke bottle & at the F-S-MALL??? Who knows.

matthew

[GREGRIO]

OK Matt...just for you buddy:

For $49. your Standard Suite will probably face Flamingo Blvd. I would
guess your view would be either looking West up Flamingo and the PALMS
or South with the PALMS and the South Strip in view. The $49. room
should be fine. You won't be in it much, it's real big, floor to cieling windows and will be great.

If you're going to try tipping your way to a better view (and that's all it
would be) try the traditional $20trick...ten bucks won't do anything.

If you do try the 'trick', request a POOL VIEW in the IPANIMA TOWER.
My room, 1355 is an old SMOKING ROOM and it's smaller than the
average Standard Suite you'll get...you wouldn't like it. I only get it for
the two window view and because I can smoke in there. It's in the $79.
quote they gave you...and again your room WILL BE LARGER.

The SHUTTLE works GREAT! The door to outside and the Shuttle pick up
is just past the World Buffet...real easy to find...I used it last trip and it's
quick. There was one that went to HARRAHS and one that went to BALLYS
I don't know which Shuttles make the rounds to the other hotels...ask.

Mine wasn't crowded at all.....there's always a little line and I have seen
quite a few folks waiting from time to time....but they hold alot and you should have NO PROBLEM...YOU DO NOT NEED TO TIP.

EATS AT THE RIO: The Deli next to the Sports Book works real good...
The All American Bar and Grill is real good too for burgers and wings...
their sloppy-joe is real good (no gravey...nothing has gravey on it, trust me LOL)

The Mexican restaurant 'Bambaleo's' in Masquerade Village is great, but only open for dinner...4,5:00,?...it's upstairs on the Mezzanine, take the
escalator UP.

STARBUCKS by the Ipanima elevators for coffee, sweet rolls, sandwitches
COFFEE BEAN for the same in Masquerade Village...this is the one I use.

GAMBLING: The GOLD COAST has very good slots and table games...much better than RIO w/ very affordabel table games!
HERE WHAT YA DO: Go out the same doors you do for the Shuttle.
Right in front of you is a parking lot, and across from that is the GOLD COAST's Parking Garage...you can see it, it's close.

Walk across the RIO's little parking lot. VALLEY VIEW is the street right
in front of you. LOOK ACROSS THE STREET...you'll see the door way
on the sidewalk, across Valley View INTO the GOLD COAST Parking Garage.......J-WALK and go into and up the stairs to GOLD COAST.
There will be....or you will see.....others doing the same thing.

Up the stairs...walk through the garage...you see the sign CASINO across
on the other side of the garage.
IN THE DOOR, UP THE ESCALATOR, walk down the hall, GO DOWN THE
ESCALATOR, in the door and YOU'RE THERE...the whole trip takes you
about 5min. Go back to RIO the same way. I make this walk a couple time
a day and lots of other guests do to. Their Buffet is good and very affordable as are their restaurants...they have a Cafe too.

NOW, from the GOLD COAST.....out their front doors, walk down the
sidewalk, cross Flamingo at the light and you're at the PALMS...cool huh!

NOW FOR 'CARROT TOP'........
Tickets2Nite is the outlet by the Coke Bottle...you know that one.

TIX4TONIGHT is the better one. Look at their website:
www.tix4tonight.com
'click' on the..... '$Coupon' under the Showgirl. If you can print at home, this coupon will get you a discount on service charges, it also shows you
all their locations.

HAWAIIAN MARKET PALCE at the POLO TOWERS across the street from
the ALADDIN or down next to t.i. under the 'cloud' at the FASHION MALL, outside, next to Nieman Marcus are the ones I'd suggest using.

You can check out their board of Shows at 11:30, they open at Noon, you
buy a 'Voucher' you'll take to the LUXOR BOXOFFICE and hour or more
before the Show and exchange it for a real ticket. Your seat is first come/
first serve for the better seats, so go over early.

I'd CAB to LUXOR. You could drive, but you don't know where you're going
and the CAB is best. It will cost you aprox $12. over and $12 back...maybe less. If you drive...just allow plenty of time to get lost...you
don't want to be late for CARROT TOP...cool Show!

OK, that should do ya..............any more questions, ask away, I'll check
in when I get home from work each day...
For WEATHER IN VEGAS go to: www.klastv.com and 'click' on WEATHER.
later,
Greg

[misterKeno]

heya greg -- awesome feedback !!!

Thx my friend--i think i'll just stick with the room they give me.

No cabs for me though, need to make this an awfully frugal trip (with close to ZERO $ for gamblin).

Thx greg--i owe ya a beer.

[GREGRIO]

My pleasure 'misterKeno'...I don't drink, but you can
order me some (extra gravey) on a Trukey Dinner someday
with a Diet Pepsi........

OK, so you're driving...If you go to CARROT TOP...(got a Map?) 2 ways:
The easy and most scenic way is to go down the STRIP.

Take Flamiongo...right in front of the RIO, over the 'hump' to the STRIP,
TURN RIGHT on the STRIP and just head up through the lights to the
LUXOR which is 4 blocks in front of you on the RIGHT. Turn in their drive, and look for the Self Park...I'd choose VALET...only cost you two bucks
when you pick it up and it's sooooooo convienent.

A CAB would hop on I-15 from Flamingo, EXIT TROPICANA EAST, turn
RIGHT on the STRIP, then up to LUXOR.

IF you will be driving around town for sightseeing...turn on Chan 8
in your RIO Suite in the mornings for traffic reports...

Choosing the $49. room is the right choice...now just kick back and
plan the rest of the stuff you want to do.

[misterKeno]

thx a lot greg.... im definately going to check out the GOLD COAST.

No worries on the gravy, lol !!!

Yea, ive got just about ever hotel on the strip memorized, so no worries finding the luxor.

That "CHANNEL 8" sounds clever.

[GREGRIO]

3 DAYS AND COUNTING..........
Are you READY misterKeno?
What are you driving?
Check the oil?
Check the tires?
Got a map?
Air in the spare?
Any road music to keep you company?

[misterKeno]

heya greg.. (and the rest of the gang!):

Well, im certainly rev'd up for the trip.

Ive got about 2 gallons in my truck... but i may need to fill up before i leave, lol. Oil is fine--just got the vehicle serviced a month ago. Tires are at 6/32"...so i'm okay there.

I went to AAA to get some maps (there's a story involved with that).

Road music--im usually happy with whatever the antenna brings in... for the most part it seems like a lot of religous or country or spanish stations in the SJ valley, lol.. But i'm sure i'll be okay--even talk radio is fine.

I'll probably...

3am - wake up, shower, do my last bit of packing, load up, warm up the vehicle, do a DOUBLE CHECK to see if i left anything behind (( you know i make out a list on paper & pen, honest i do )).
4am - be on the road
9am - be finishing breakfast in Bakersfield 'somewhere' & stretching my legs

Otherwise, i like to take a break every 2.5 hours. I swear to you, it pays dividends in the long run. Even if i get out & stretch for 3 minutes, even if im not fatigued... i feel a lot better after driving 561 miles. One thing i'll do is i'll put $10 or $15 of gas in the vehicle (each time) so that will force me to gas up every 2 or 3 hours (or get a SLAB OF JERKY) at the mini-marts, lol.

Circulation in the legs is a good thing.

By, 1130 or noon i hope to be on I-15 & zoomin to LV !! But, greg, i know i'll be in the middle lane, cause the fast lane is for the LA crowd going 85 or 90 or 95 (yikes). No joke.

[GREGRIO]

That sounds GREAT Matt...very cool. Be sure to catch that
last pit stop before the long desert run...gas/jerky etc. The
desert is pretty short on gas and your jerky tastes better
than ROAD KILL.................'course even road kill tasted better with
a little _ _ _ _ _ _ on it!!!
You've got one more day to post until

[misterKeno]

hiya greg !!

yea i'm T-2 now... well actually it's T-1.5 (but who's counting)...

No worries on the gravy and roadkill... but, i'll admit, a ginger-soy sauce on some rattlesnake is mighty fine around Primm or Jean!! LOL.

Well, i'll check-in one more time b4 i leave folks.

misterKeno

[Grant]

T-2! almost 1 and a half now.

Greg, great info! That should be helpful to anyone staying at the Rio.

$49 is a great rate!

Matt, you could also get a bus pass, $5 for a full 24 hours. That will get u to the strip, Luxor, etc.. But also will give you the freedom to visit more places. Plus you are going on weekdays so the strip won't be too crowded.

We got a bus pass this last trip but it was always so packed.